Merlier faces knee problems, missing the Al Ula Tour.

Tim Merlier will not race the Alula Tour , a ProSeries race (promoted from 2026) scheduled for January 27 to 31 and an excellent testing ground for sprinters at the start of the season.

The Belgian, in fact, was supposed to make his debut in the Saudi stage race, where he has won four times in the last two seasons and where he would have challenged Milan for the first time this year.

The 1992-born rider, however, suffered some knee problems over the winter; the Soudal Quick-Step rider himself, however, hasn't yet clarified the cause of this pain and has therefore been forced to postpone his debut. Merlier, by his own admission, will also miss the Omloop and is unlikely to see him compete at the UAE Tour, although he hopes to be at the start of the Kurne.

From a Fantacycling perspective, considering these problems, it will be complicated to bet on the Belgian sprinter at the start of the season , both due to the complicated winter preparation and the uncertainty regarding the actual return date.